Vehicle-wheel.



. No. 783,095. EATENTEE EEB. 21, 1905.

C. E. BOEANNON. VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLOATION FILED AUG. 31, 1904.

'mounted thereon.

UNTTED STATES Patented February 21, 1905.

CHARLEY R. BOHANNON, OF WIELSH, LOUISIANA.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent N o. 783,095, dated February21, 1905.

Application filed August 31, 1904. Serial No. 222,859.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, @HARLEY R. BoHANNoN, a

. citizen of the United States, resid ing at Welsh,

following is a specification.

This invention embodies a novel construction of wheel, and isparticularly adapted for automobiles or like vehicles, but designed tobe applied in any capacity wherein the ordinary type of vehicle-wheel isusually employed.

The invention relates primarilyT to the general wheel structure, thespokes being peculiarly constructed and mounted in connection with aspecial construction of hub and rim elements.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result, reference is to be had to the followingIdescription and accompanying drawings. i

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention aresusceptible of modiiication, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying' drawings, in which--Figure 1 is a broken view showing' the construction of the wheelembodying my invention, the hub and rim sections, as well as one of thespokes, being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewshowing the hub of the wheel more clearly, the same being mounted upon avehicle-spindle, vthe latter being shown broken away.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in both the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

Generally describing the invention, the wheel comprises, essentially,the hub 1, the spokes 2, and the rim 3, having the tire 4 The hub 1consists of an outer she-ll 5 and the axle-box 6. The axle-box 6 ismounted within the shell 5 and receives in the construction illustratedthe axle-skein 7 of the spindle-arm 8 of the axle 9. The skein 7 of theaxle-arm is suitably mounted portions.

thereon, being threaded thereto, as shown at 10. An inner cap 11 and anouter cap 12 close the respective inner and outer ends of the shell 5,the outer cap 12 having projected from the inner side thereofa centralboss 13, which boss is provided centrally with a recess 14, forming abearing,within which the outer end of the skein 7 is received. The caps11 and 12 of the shell 5 are preferably threaded into the ends of theshell and by closing the said ends prevent entrance of dust or otherforeign` matter which might be detrimental to the proper working of theinvention. The inner cap 11 is provided with an opening through whichlthe aXle-arrn 8 passes, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. At the ends of the axle-box 6 are disposed a plurality ofradially-projecting lugs 15, which lugs extend into contact vwith theinner peripheral portion of the shell 5, fitting snugly therein topromote the rigidity of the hub structure. The lugs 15 cooperate withthe spokes 2 in a manner which will be described more'clearlyhereinafter. In order that the hub may be effectively lubricated, theaxlebox 6 is provided longitudinally thereof with an open slot 16,through which the lubricant may pass to the skein 7. The lubricant mayconsist of oil or the like, and in order to retain the oil waste orsimilar material (indicated at 17) is disposed in the space formedlbetween the body of the axle-box and the shell 5. rIhe waste holds thelubricant in suspension, allowing same, however, to thoroughly lubricatethe hub during the revolution of the wheel. The slot 16 extends to theouter end of the axle-box, and the peripheral portion of the boss 13 ofthe outer cap 12 is provided with a groove 18,which permits thelubricant to pass into the recess 14. Suitable washers 19 are interposedbetween the outer and inner ends of the axle-box 6 and adjacentOil-holes 20 are provided in the caps 11 and 12, as shown in Fig. 3.

The spokes 2, which are of a special form, are preferably made insections, (designated as 2 and 2b, respectively.) The sections 2a and 2are inner and outer sections, respectively, and the inner section 2 ofeach spoke is threaded at its innermost end and passes through an IOOopening in the shell of the hub. A nut 21 screws upon the inner end ofthe spoke-section 2L within the shell, and this nut secures the innerend of the spoke to the hub. A jam-nut 22 screws upon a threaded end ofthe section 2, but upon the outer side of the shell 5. The two nuts 21and 22 receive the shell therebetween and clamp hard against oppositesides thereof. The lugs of the axle-box are provided upon opposite sideswith recesses 23, which receive the innermost nut at the inner end ofeach spoke 2. The recesses 23 thus form seats for the nuts 21 andreinforce the spokes and the connection thereof with the hub. Further,the nuts 21 are prevented from rattling or likelihood of displacement.The outer section 2b of each spoke 2 is preferably made of flat metal,such as steel or the like, in order to have a certain degree offlexibility, and the inner end of the section 2b is attached, by meansof a threaded connection, (shown at 24,) with a casing 25. The casing 25receives the outer end of the inner section 2 of the spoke, which outerend is provided with an annular enlargment 26. The inner end of thecasing 25 is closed by means of a plug or cap 27, and between this cap27 and the annular enlargement 26 is interposed aspring 28. The spring28 is designed to take up any jar or vibration incident to the travel ofthe wheel over rough ground or striking obstructions of any kind. Itwill be noted from the foregoing that the wheel is thus provided withcushion means by which vibration is reduced and an elastic flexiblestructure constituted.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. Inwheel structure, in combination, ahub comprising a shell, an axleboxwithin said shell, lugs projected radially from the axlebox, means forpreventing displacement of the axle-box from the shell, a rim, spokesattached to the rim at their outery ends and having their inner endsreceived by the shell of the hub, and nuts securing the inner ends ofthe spokes tothe shell and cooperating with the lugs of the axle-box.

2. In a wheel structure, in combination a hub comprising a shell, anaxle-box within said shell and having a plurality of recessed portionsadjacent the ends thereof, means for preventing displacement of theaxle-box from the shell, spokes extended from the hub and having theirinner ends passed through the shell, and nuts threaded upon theeinnerends of the spokes and received by the recessed portions l of heaxle-box to cooperate therewith as specifie 3. In a wheel, incombination, a hub comprising an outer shell, an axle-box within saidshell and provided with radially-extending lugs at its ends, said lugsforming a lubricantspace in the shell and the axle-box, the axleboxbeing provided longitudinally thereof with an open slot, caps closingthe ends of the shell, spokes extended from the hub and having theirinner ends passed through the shell, and nuts threaded upon the'innerends of the spokes within the shell and disposed between adjacent lugsof the axle-'box to cooperate therewith as specified.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLEY R. BOHANNON.

